Trolling rig

ABSTRACT

A trolling rig for bait fishing having a substantially frustoconical-shaped cap with an oval cross section adapted to receive the head of the bait fish. The smaller end portion of the cap has an opening at its upper side, and a safety-pin snap is connected to the opening. An opening is provided on each side of the cap at the larger end portion and a fish locking pin extends through the openings and the head of the fish, securing the fish to the cap. A further opening is formed in the lower side at the larger end of the cap and a flexible member is connected at one end to the further opening with a fishhook connected to its free end.

United States Patent Egles m 3,645,031 51 Feb. 29, 1972 [54] TROLLINGRIG Richard A. Egles, 310 East 37th St, Hialeah, Fla.

[22] Filed: Mar. 24, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 22,244

[72] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. LeachAttorney-Salvatore G. Militana 57] ABSTRACT A trolling rig for baitfishing having a substantially frustoconical-shaped cap with an ovalcross section adapted to receive the head of the bait fish. The smallerend portion of the cap has an opening at its upper side, and asafety-pin snap is connected to the opening. An opening is provided oneach side of the cap at the larger end portion and a fish locking pinextends through the openings and the head of the fish, securing the fishto the cap. A further opening is formed in the lower side at the largerend of the cap and a flexible member is connected at one end to thefurther opening with a fishhook connected to its free end.

2 Claiins, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 29, 1972 3,645,031

//V VE N 70/? RIC Pj ARD A. EGLES JM/ZW ATTORNEY TROLLING RIG Thisinvention relates generally to fishing equipment and is moreparticularly directed to bait fish holders.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a trolling rigto which abait fish is attached quickly and easily under conditions thatare normally adverse and while trolling, the bait fish assumes realisticand lifelike motions that entice fish to attack same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bait fish holderhaving a cap which receives the head of a bait fish with a locking pinlocking the bait in position but permitting the fish to perform in thesame manner as a normal fish as it swims therebysimulating a live andhealthy fish and preserving this condition for extended periods of time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bait fishholder for trolling wherein the bait fish is held securely but notrigidly, thereby permitting the bait fish to undulate from side to sideas it is being trolled in the manner of a live fish to entice fish tostrike at the bait.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a deepdiving bait fish holder which is simple in construction, easy to rigwith bait fish and one which will simulate a live fish at great depthsin the water for catching large fish.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, with the understanding, however, that the invention isnot confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawingbut may be changed or modified as such changes or modifications mark nomaterial departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trolling rig constructed in accordancewith 'my invention and shown with a bait fish in position in dottedlines.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof shown with the locking pin prior toinsertion into the cap thereof.

FIG. 5 is a-perspective view of an alternate construction illustrating adeep divingtrolling rig.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designatesimilar parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0 refers to atrolling rig constructed in accordance with my invention and consistingof a hollow frustoconical-shaped cap or muzzle 11 being open at bothends 12 and 13 and of slightly oval-shaped cross section for receivingthe head of a fish as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2.

At the smaller end 12 of the cap 11 at the upper portion thereof is anopening 17 for receiving one end of a safety-pin snap 14 which isprovided with a loop 15 to which a fishing line 16 is attached. At thelarger end 13 of the cap 11 and on the lower portion thereof is anopening 18 to which a leader wire 19 is secured at one end. At the otherend of the leader wire 19 there is a fishhook 20 attached thereto, thehook 20 lying vertically with the barb 21 extending upwardly and lyingin a plane passing through the openings 17 and 18. At the rear edge ofthe cap 1 1 along each side is a pair of aligned openings 22, 23 forreceiving a locking pin 25 therethrough.

The locking pin 25 is an L-shaped pin consisting of a main portion 26, aleg portion 27 extending at a right angle thereto and a foot or prongportion 28 at a right angle to the leg por tion 27 extending in the samedirection and in coplanar relation with the main portion 26.

In the normal use of my trolling rig 10, a bait fish 30 is taken in handand the head of the fish 30 is inserted into the cap 11. The mainportion 26 of the locking pin 25 is then inserted into one of theopenings 22 or 23 depending upon where the eyes of the fish arepositioned so that the pointed end of the main portion 26 will easilypierce through the head of the fish; otherwise, the skull of the fishwill have to be pierced by the lockin pin 25. As the main portion 26emerges from the other side 0 cap 11 having passed through the oppositealigned opening 22 or 23, the foot or prong portion 28 will pass intothe side of the fish 30 as shown by FIG. 3. The main portion 26 whichextends beyond the cap 11 is bent as at 29 and brought into contactrelation with the side of the bait fish 30. The hook 21 is then insertedinto the rear portion of the fish 30 and the trolling rig 10 is nowready to be put into the water and trolled when connected to the fishingline 16. With the fishing line 16 extending from the safety-pin snap 14which in turn is connected to the upper portion of the cap 11, there isa tendency for the bait fish 30 to be trolled close to the surface ofthe water.

If it is desired to troll deep in the water, I provide a deep divingtrolling rig 40 (FIG. 5) which is identical to my previously describedtrolling, rig 10 except for a deflector member mounted on the forward orsmaller end portion 12 of the cap 11. The deflector 'member -D- consistsof a deflector blade 41 extending forwardly of the cap 11 and a supportplate 42 extending rearwardly and attachedas by soldering to the sidesof the cap 11. The deflector blade 41 is set at such an angle withrelation to the axis of the cone-shaped cap 1 1 that as the trolling rig40 moves forwardly in the water, the water impinges on the upper surfaceof the deflector blade 41 causing the nose or forward end 12 to betilted downwardly and the trolling rig 40 to move to the lower depths ofthe water.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

l. A trolling rig for bait fishing comprising a substantially.frustoconical hollow cap adapted to receive the head of a bait fish,means connecting a fishing line to the upper portion of said cap at itssmaller end portion, further means connecting a flexible member at oneend to the lower portion of said cap at its larger end portion, afishhook secured to the free end of said flexible member, said hollowcaphaving a plurality of aligned openings on its sidewalls adjacent thelarger end portion, an elongated fish locking member having asubstantially U-shape with one of its legs being longer than the other,the longer leg being received by a pair of said aligned openings andextending through the head of said fish, the shorter leg extending intosaid fish and the free end of said'longer leg being bent and lyingalongside and in substantial contact relation with said fish to securesaid fish to said hollow cap.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 wherein said fish locking meanscomprises a pin having a substantially U-shape with one of its legsbeing longer than the other, a plurality of openings on the sides ofsaid cap adjacent the larger end portion, said openings receiving saidone of said legs with said other of said legs being received by saidfish and the free end of said one of said legs being bent and lyingalongside and in substantial contact relation with said fish.

1. A trolling rig for bait fishing comprising a substantiallyfrustoconical hollow cap adapted to receive the head of a bait fish,means connecting a fishing line to the upper portion of said cap at itssmaller end portion, further means connecting a flexible member at oneend to the lower portion of said cap at its larger end portion, afishhook secured to the free end of said flexible member, said hollowcap having a plurality of aligned openings on its sidewalls adjacent thelarger end portion, an elongated fish locking member having asubstantially U-shape with one of its legs being longer than the other,the longer leg being received by a pair of said aligned openings andextending through the head of said fish, the shorter leg extending intosaid fish and the free end of said longer leg being bent and lyingalongside and in substantial contact relation with said fish to securesaid fish to said hollow cap.
 2. The structure as recited by claim 1wherein said fish locking means comprises a pin having a substantiallyU-shape with one of its legs being longer than the other, a plurality ofopenings on the sides of said cap adjacent the larger end portion, Saidopenings receiving said one of said legs with said other of said legsbeing received by said fish and the free end of said one of said legsbeing bent and lying alongside and in substantial contact relation withsaid fish.